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 Word Etymologies

 

 German Etymologies

10 of my favorite detailed word origins

Affäre: Affair , from French affaire and farire to do or make, from Latin facere to be involved with.

Beule: Bump or bruise, from Mittle hochdeutsch biule, from Dutch buil and English boil to bubble.

Emotion: Emotion, from modern French emotion , from middle/old French motion to be moved, from Latin motio , movere, motum to set into motion.

Hängematte: Hammock, from Italian amaca, from Spanish amacca, from French hamac, from English hammock a net to sleep in.

Ironie: Irony, from French ironiser a serious teasing, from Latin ironia, from Greek eironeia unknowing seeming serious joke.

Keks: cookies, from English cakes, from Swedish kaka and Dutch kaga meaning sweet cake or cookie.

Maus: mouse, from Swedish mus, English mouse, Greek mys, Latin mus a small gray creature.

Pfeife: pipe, from English pipe, from Latin pipa a hollow tube with which to inhale tabacco.

Schön: pretty, from middle /old German schoene pleasant to look at, from Dutch schoon, from English (poetic) sheen to seem pleasant.

Zimmer: room, from middle/old German zimber, zimer living space, From Russian dom house, to Latin domus, from Greek domos a room or house to live in.

 Here are another 40 fun words and a brief explanation of their origin.


Akzent: accent, from Latin accentuare to place emphasis.
Allergie: allergy, from Greek allos together and ergon working.
Bequem: comfortable, from English gecweme related to lazy.
Bizzar: strange, from Italian bizzarro.
Charmant: charming, from Latin carminare.
Clown: circus clown, from Latin colonus a farmer.
Denken: to think, from old English pencan to think.
Ditto: the same, from Latin dicere to speak or to say.
Erotisch: erotic, from Greek eros love.
Exzentrisch: deviating from the normal, from Greek ekkentros.
Flasche: bottle, from old German flasca.
Furcht: to be afraid, from English fright.
Gedächtnis: memory, from old German githehtnissi.
Genieren: to be embarrassed , from French gener.
Halluzination: hallucination, from Latin alucinatio.
Haß, to hate , from Greek kedos to worry or morn.
Insel: island, from Latin insula.
Ivalide: war injured soldier, from Latin invalidus weak without strength.
Joghurt, yogurt, from Turkish yogun thick fluid.
Jongleur: juggler, from Latin ioculator a jokester.
Kittel: apron or work shirt, from middle/old German kedel, keel, kidel.
Klage: complaint, from middle German claghe, klaga to whine.
Lama: Lama , from Spanish llama.
Lampe: lamp, from Greek lampas.
Minute: minute, from late Latin minuta a small piece.
Motto: motto, from French mot a word.
Nett: nice, from Latin nitere sparkling.
Nicken: to nod, from Swedish nicka and Danish nikke.
Ohnmacht: to faint, from middle/old German amacht to be without strength.
Ozean: ocean, from Greek Okeanos.
Pädagoge: teacher, from Greek paidos child and agogos to lead.
Paradies, paradise, from Greek paradeiso.
Reise: travel, from old German reisa, risen, to rise up.
Rest: remainder, from Latin restare to stay behind.
Saft: juice, from English sap thick natural liquid.
Sahne: whipped cream, from Latin sagina nutrition , fat, food.
Tango: the tango, Spanish Tango Latin American gypsy dance.
Theater: theater, from Greek theasthai to watch.